Jagadish

Chandra Bose Biography

Jagadish Chandra Bose was a polymath, physicist, botanist and
considered to be one of the fathers of radio science. This
biography of Jagadish Chandra Bose provides detailed
information about his childhood, life, achievements, works &
timeline.
Quick Facts
Nationality Indian
Born on

30 November 1858 AD

Zodiac
Sign

Sagittarius

Born in

Bikrampur, Bengal Presidency, British India (Now

Munshiganj District of Bangladesh)

Died on

23 November 1937 AD

Place of
death

Giridih, Bengal Presidency, British India

Father

Bhagawan Chandra Bose

Spouse:

Abala Bose
Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire

Awards

(1903)
Companion of the Order of the Star of India (1912)

The first person to prove that plants also have the ability to feel
pain and affection, Jagadish Chandra Bose was an Indian
polymath whose research has extensively contributed to the
fields of botany, physics, archeology and radio science. Bose is
considered to be the first modern scientist of India for the
recognition he received from the Royal Institution, London,
where the most prominent British scientists of those days
gathered and discussed their latest discoveries and inventions.
He is credited to have laid the foundations of experimental
science in India and was a pioneer in the area of microwave
optics technology. He designed a galena receiver which was
amongst the earliest examples of a lead sulphide photo
conducting device. From a young age he displayed a keen
interest in science and set his eyes on becoming a doctor. But
he could not pursue a career in medicine due to some reasons
and therefore shifted his focus to research. A very determined
and hardworking person, he immersed himself deeply into
research and made his findings public for the benefit of
scientific development. Along with being a scientist, he was also
a talented writer who set the precedence for Bengali science
fiction writing.
Childhood & Early Life
Jagadish Chandra Bose was the son of Bhagawan
Chandra Bose, a leader of the Brahmo Samaj who worked
as an assistant commissioner.
His father wanted him to learn the vernacular language
and be familiar with his own culture before learning

English. T hus young Jagadish was sent to a vernacular

school where he had classmates from various religions
and communities. Bonding with different people without
any discrimination deeply impacted the boy.
In 1869, he enrolled at the Hare School before moving on
to St. Xavier s School at Kolkata. He joined the St.
Xavier s College in 1875 where he became acquainted
with the Jesuit Father Eugene Lafont who instilled in him a
deep interest in natural sciences.
After receiving his bachelor s degree from the University
of Calcutta in 1879 he wanted to go to England to study
for the Indian Civil Service. However, he changed his
plans and decided to study medicine. T his plan too did not
suit him and once again he had to consider another
option.
Finally, he decided to study Natural Science and secured
admission in Christs College, Cambridge. He completed
his Natural Science Tripos from the college and pursued a
BSc from the University of London earning his degree in
1884.
Bose had the privilege of being taught by illustrious
teachers like Francis Darwin, James Dewar and Michael
Foster at the Cambridge. T here he also met a fellow
student, Prafulla Chandra Ray, with whom he became
good friends.
Care e r
On his return to India in 1885 he was appointed as an
officiating professor of physics in Presidency College on
the request of Lord Ripon to the Director of Public
Instruction.
In his first job, Bose became a victim of racism as his
salary was fixed at a much lower level than that of the
British professors. As a protest Bose refused to accept the
salary and taught at the college for three years without
payment.

After some time the Director of Public Instruction and the

Principal of the Presidency College made him permanent
and paid him his full salary for the previous three years.
Such was the character of J.C. Bose.
T here were many other issues in the college as well. T he
college did not had a proper laboratory and was not
conducive for original research. Bose actually funded his
research with his own money.
Starting from 1894 he experimented on the Hertzion waves
in India and created the shortest radio-waves of 5mm. He
conducted the first communication experiments in 1895
becoming the pioneer in multimedia communication.
He presented his first scientific paper, On the polarization
of Electric Rays by Double Reflecting Crystals before the
Asiatic Society of Bengal in May 1895. His papers were
later published by the Royal Society of London in 1896.
In 1896 he met Marconi who was also working on wireless
signaling experiment and in 1899 he developed the ironmercury-iron coherer with telephone detector which he
presented at the Royal Society.
He was also a pioneer in the field of biophysics and was
the first one to suggest that plants too can feel pain and
understand affection.
He was also a writer and authored Niruddesher Kahini in
1896 which was the first major work in Bengali science
fiction. T his story was later translated into English.
Major Works
A polymath, Jagadish Chandra Bose left an indelible mark
in several fields of study. He invented the crescograph for
measuring the growth in plants using a series of clockwork
gears. He is also credited with the invention of the first
wireless detection device, an invention he never tried to
get patented himself.
Aw ards & Achie v e m e nts
He was made Companion of the Order of the Indian

Empire in 1903 and Companion of the Order of the Star of

India in 1912 in recognition of his contributions to science.
Pe rsonal Life & Le gacy
He married Abala, the daughter of the renowned Brahmo
reformer Durga Mohan Das, in 1887. She was a renowned
feminist in her own right and fully supported her husband
throughout his busy scientific career.
He died in 1937 at the age of 78.
T he Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic
Garden is named in the honor of this extraordinary
scientist.
Triv ia
T his great Indian scientist was recently acknowledged by
IEEE, USA as one of the pioneers in the discovery of
radio.